X4, Back-Forwards to X3 FL

[Nort The Fragrent]

X4, Back-Forwards to X3 FL

Been playing X3 FL , wow.
The visual comparison is so good and crisp in X3, why is X4 so fuzzy and blurry ?
X3FL is like visiting an old friend, the ships, the solar stations, it’s so lovely.
And Betty, Suzy, the ferry to Ringo Moon, this is what I thought X4 was going to be like!
And best of all, no highways, least non that I have found thus far.

If you haven't tried X3FL, pleas do, This is how sectors ought to look.

High praise to the team for putting this together , very well done indeed.

[chew-ie]

I tried it but I can't go back to X3. X4 is better in every aspect - minus the missing Borons.

The team did a great job though

[grapedog]

Yeah, tried going back to X3 as well when X4 was just out, loaded up an old save.... that lasted a few hours. X3 was great for its time... but that time has passed.

I love X4 with all its flaws, just like i loved x3 with all its flaws. X4 is just better is almost every way...

[Deeparth]

I think nostalgia is the answer.

[Alan Phipps]

"I think nostalgia is the answer." So what was the question?

[Baconnaise]

I have to agree with Chew and Grape. I tried to go back to X3 when I was playing XR and found it difficult despite all the huge flaws with XR. I made the attempt again in the last month and couldn't do it. I've even tried to go back to XR which I have plenty of fondness for and couldn't get back into it. X4 is better overall in the grand scheme of things IMO.

[GCU Grey Area]

I have to agree with Chew and Grape. I tried to go back to X3 when I was playing XR and found it difficult despite all the huge flaws with XR. I made the attempt again in the last month and couldn't do it. I've even tried to go back to XR which I have plenty of fondness for and couldn't get back into it. X4 is better overall in the grand scheme of things IMO.

Same here & it's always been the case with every X game. There's always been something added with each new game (including XR) that I find sufficiently indispensable that I can't go back to the previous one, no matter how much I enjoyed it at the time. In the case of X4 it's the station building, the queued orders & ship upgrade/modification systems.

[Artean]

There's no going back for me either. I do agree, however, with the blurry graphics. That seems to be something all modern games are suffering from, more or less. I blame most of it on post processing anti aliasing filters.

[Crux_72]

X4, Back-Forwards to X3 FL

Been playing X3 FL , wow.
The visual comparison is so good and crisp in X3, why is X4 so fuzzy and blurry ?
X3FL is like visiting an old friend, the ships, the solar stations, it’s so lovely.
And Betty, Suzy, the ferry to Ringo Moon, this is what I thought X4 was going to be like!
And best of all, no highways, least non that I have found thus far.

If you haven't tried X3FL, pleas do, This is how sectors ought to look.

High praise to the team for putting this together , very well done indeed.

I am absolutely with you on that.

It's not about nostalgia or whether X4 is superior, nor is it about whether I can go back to X3 or not - FL has added so many new features that it's different enough from X3AP and the comparison with X3TC is no longer appropriate - not to mention X3R.

In fact, I have stopped comparing X3 (whichever version) with X4 because, in my opinion, they are two completely different cups of tea. And FL exacerbates these differences so much that it has to be said that X3FL is, in my opinion, not even trying to aim at the player base of X4.

X4 is a fast, action-packed insta- cratification fest which wants you to ride in at the head of a huge battle fleet with a even morge huge corporation in the background and save the galaxy on your own. But don't you dare just want to do your thing at your own speed, enjoying the ambience and relax between a few hauling runs - you just can't. Because at some point, whether you want to or not, you have to stand up, become the grat savior of all und fight - because the 'evils' will not wait for you. This is by design and thats what X4 is all about.

X3FL is different. It is slow. And it offers a depth of possibilities that X4 will not be able to offer for years. It lets you play YOUR game the way YOU want to - no ifs, ands or buts.

For me, both games coexist and I treat them as such. Both have their appeal... but if I had to point to one of them and say "this one suits me more in its features, possibilities and gameplay", then, yes, it is definitely X3FL.

[Raptor34]

After a couple patches and rebalancing. And probably with a cheat menu.
I don't like the new notoriety system, very limiting. And even just browsing the forums I'm seeing a lot of the old bugs. Or at least I can't even remember that apparently just taking certain ships can mess with your rep if you aren't careful.

[Crux_72]

After a couple patches and rebalancing. And probably with a cheat menu.
I don't like the new notoriety system, very limiting. And even just browsing the forums I'm seeing a lot of the old bugs. Or at least I can't even remember that apparently just taking certain ships can mess with your rep if you aren't careful.

The notoriety system is adressed in the actual beta- patch.

[Raptor34]

After a couple patches and rebalancing. And probably with a cheat menu.
I don't like the new notoriety system, very limiting. And even just browsing the forums I'm seeing a lot of the old bugs. Or at least I can't even remember that apparently just taking certain ships can mess with your rep if you aren't careful.

The notoriety system is adressed in the actual beta- patch.

They won't be addressing what I actually want though.
Or did they go back on their word that the notoriety system is here to stay?
But still, better than nothing, which is why I won't be playing it vanilla. Also why I'm glad this isn't done by Ego themselves, because I don't like this direction.

[grapedog]

X3FL is different. It is slow. And it offers a depth of possibilities that X4 will not be able to offer for years. It lets you play YOUR game the way YOU want to - no ifs, ands or buts.

Uh, am i playing x4 wrong? This is how i play x4, my game my way...

[Tamina]

Is there anything else besides visuals and my favourite Betty version? Like some neat game functionality missing in X4?

X3FL is different. It is slow. And it offers a depth of possibilities that X4 will not be able to offer for years. It lets you play YOUR game the way YOU want to - no ifs, ands or buts.

Uh, am i playing x4 wrong? This is how i play x4, my game my way...

It seems the applied pressure to force you to play Egosofts way isn't big enough, this will be adressed in an upcoming patch /joke

[Crux_72]

X3FL is different. It is slow. And it offers a depth of possibilities that X4 will not be able to offer for years. It lets you play YOUR game the way YOU want to - no ifs, ands or buts.

Uh, am i playing x4 wrong? This is how i play x4, my game my way...

How long ( ingame days) have you been playing, if you don't mind me asking?

My experience with the last three game starts was that after a certain time either the Xenon or the HOP had conquered three quarters of all systems. In my last run, this was the case after 8 ingame days...

In my actual run, under version 4.0, it seems to be better - two days in and still everything seems to balance out. But everyone is already crying that it's "too boring" now... too static. So it's a matter of time before EGO turns some screw again and you find yourself back in all-out war faster than a Boron can say 'blubb'. This prospect sits like a shadow on my neck and I notice how I am increasingly losing the fun of X4. Because the prospect of being pushed back into the direction of 'FIGHT' at some point and the fact that a timer running in the background will take away my relaxed existence again makes me feel less and less like continuing the further I progress in my game state

Or did they go back on their word that the notoriety system is here to stay?

No, it remains - but they are just adjusting the impact of the individual actions. That is, you don't just fall three ranks up or down just because you flew the wrong person from A to B.

[Crux_72]

Is there anything else besides visuals and my favourite Betty version? Like some neat game functionality missing in X4?

It's a lot of which I would have to put too many spoilers. Small things, but things that make the game a few nuances deeper.
In principle, I can only recommend installing it and just fellow the main plot a bit - you get a feeling for the new possibilities relatively quickly.

X3FL is different. It is slow. And it offers a depth of possibilities that X4 will not be able to offer for years. It lets you play YOUR game the way YOU want to - no ifs, ands or buts.

Uh, am i playing x4 wrong? This is how i play x4, my game my way...

It seems the applied pressure to force you to play Egosofts way isn't big enough, this will be adressed in an upcoming patch /joke

What I just said

[jlehtone]

Same here & it's always been the case with every X game. There's always been something added with each new game (including XR) that I find sufficiently indispensable that I can't go back to the previous one, no matter how much I enjoyed it at the time. In the case of X4 it's the station building, the queued orders & ship upgrade/modification systems.

I'm playing both (at different times obviously) and they are quite different but both fun in their own ways. The only thing I find a bit hard is adjusting to the often similar-looking yet quite different UI and control systems in the two games and so keep pressing the wrong keys.

"Manly man" can do but one thing at a time. A lot about UI and some more technical:

I did Xbtf after X3R. The UI was more "Spartan". But, I knew what Nostrop Oil is so first trade runs were easy. Now, I have to tweak OS setup to even get Xbtf or X-T to start; high resolution wide screen is a no-go.

X2 ... Z-axis (rudder) on HOTAS has been leaking for years. Can't disable in-game. Probably can't install software for Win 10, so ... Ah, Rubber Duck! might have just solved that.

Can't quite remember X3AP HOTAS bindings. Years of it and now zip.

"muscle memory is a harsh mistress"

[grapedog]

How long ( ingame days) have you been playing, if you don't mind me asking?

My experience with the last three game starts was that after a certain time either the Xenon or the HOP had conquered three quarters of all systems. In my last run, this was the case after 8 ingame days...

I mean, i have multiple saves, ranging from 2 days to 30+ days. Are there times when i juml in to help the NPCs... sometimes yes, sometimes no. Jist depends on how aggressively im playing. But ive completely ignored the xenon for a week plus on one save, and not much has changed. I don't feel pressure to run to the aid of the factions.

[GReaper]

Someone here who also loves X4. I started playing X games with X3 and I LOVED it (I still do). Some time ago I tried to go back to X3 but it seems a bit oudated for me. Of course, I still think it's a great game, but I prefer X4. It may have some bugs but that doesn't prevent me for spending hours and hours on it. I also like to be pending on new updates and patches, and to see what X4 is becoming. Great job, Egosoft!!

[Crux_72]

How long ( ingame days) have you been playing, if you don't mind me asking?

My experience with the last three game starts was that after a certain time either the Xenon or the HOP had conquered three quarters of all systems. In my last run, this was the case after 8 ingame days...

I mean, i have multiple saves, ranging from 2 days to 30+ days. Are there times when i juml in to help the NPCs... sometimes yes, sometimes no. Jist depends on how aggressively im playing. But ive completely ignored the xenon for a week plus on one save, and not much has changed. I don't feel pressure to run to the aid of the factions.

But you do help them from time to time, don't you? And you have several ships, from small fighters to destroyers, that could intervene at any time, right?
Now try it without this... try to just trade and explore the universe, not interfere.

In my experience, it always ends the same way in the end - in the downfall of the universe. Well, as already written, not at the moment, with V4.0, but that's obviously not what's wanted. I mean... still credits are harvested in such large amounts that it is obvious that one should own large fleets... only that you can't do anything with them at the moment. Assuming I finish my current explorationtrip in X4 - then I already have so many credits from all the stuff I've collected that I'll be able to buy a whole flotilla right off the bat - and that's just different in X3FL. Works there too... but there's a lot more in between. X4 jumps directly from the simple fighter to a hugh fleet in notime... end-game content? Yes, diplomacy and terraformin... for which you need so many credits that you can't avoid building several complexes. Here again; forced gigantism, with empasis on forced. That's what I like about the predecessors (XT - X3) and especially now about X3FL; gigantism yes... as an absolute end goal and only when I want it. No need to. Nowhere. And because the two game feelings are now so different, I consider X3 and X4 to be so different that I don't even want to call them 'related' any more. Shit, not even the races look the same in X3 and X4... that makes it even more easy.

EDIT: I see that many here write that they can't go back to X3... that they tried it a while ago but they don't like it anymore... I'm starting to think that some don't realise that we're talking about X3 - Farnham's Legacy... which has only been out for a week...